Angelonia plant named ‘Anbic’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Angelonia  plant named ‘Anbic’ characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large violet and white bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Angelonia angustifolia.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ANBIC’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAngelonia plant, botanically known as Angelonia angustifolia andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Anbic’.

The new Angelonia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely-flowering Angelonia plants withattractive flower coloration and long flowering period.

The new Angelonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor during the summer of 2012 in Dresden, Germany of two unnamedproprietary selections of Angelonia angustifolia, not patented. The newAngelonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the summerof 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Angelonia plant by terminal cuttings ina controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since the summerof 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Angelonia plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Angelonia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Anbic’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Anbic’ as a new and distinct Angelonia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large violet and white bi-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Angelonia differ from plants of the parent selectionsprimarily in plant and flowering habit as plants of the new Angeloniaare more freely branching and freely flowering than plants of the parentselections.

Plants of the new Angelonia can be compared to plants of Angeloniahybrida ‘Lowhiblu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,234. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Angelonia and ‘Lowhiblu’differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Angelonia are taller and broader than        plants of ‘Lowhiblu’.    -   2. Plants of the new Angelonia are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Lowhiblu’.    -   3. Plants of the new Angelonia flower about a week later than        plants of ‘Lowhiblu’.    -   4. Plants of the new Angelonia and ‘Lowhiblu’ differ in flower        color as plants of the new Angelonia have violet and white        bi-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Lowhiblu’ have        white-colored flowers with violet blue-colored central stripes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Angelonia plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Angelonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Anbic’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Anbic’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and the followingobservations, measurements and values were grown during the summer andautumn in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden,Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Angeloniaproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures wereat a minimum of 20° C., night temperatures were at a minimum of 16° C.and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants werepinched two times, two and six weeks after planting rooted young plants.Plants were six months old when the description was taken and sevenmonths old when the photograph was taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Angelonia angustifolia ‘Anbic’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Angelonia angustifolia, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Angelonia angustifolia, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 20 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly            upright plant habit; freely branching habit; when pinched,            about eight to twelve branches develop per plant; moderately            vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 60 cm to 80 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 30 cm to 40 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 35 cm to 45 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm to 5 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm to 3 cm.            Strength: Moderately strong to strong. Texture: Pubescent;            slightly viscid. Color: Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 2 cm to 7 cm.        -   Width.—About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate to oblong.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; leathery; glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137B; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully            developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,            close to 145C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single flowers arranged in            upright to outward terminal racemes; flowers face mostly            outwardly; freely flowering habit; full dense            inflorescences.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about nine            to ten weeks after planting rooted young plants; in the            garden, flowering is continuous from mid-May until frost in            Central Europe.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about 20 days on the            plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Inflorescence length.—Inflorescences are indeterminate and            continue to grow longer during the flowering season.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8 cm to 9 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm by 3.3 cm.        -   Flower length.—About 1 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base into a tubular throat.            Length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm to 1.4 cm.            Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire,            undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Upper two petals, close to 88C; lower three            petals, close to 155D. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Upper two petals, close to 88B; lower three            petals, close to 155D; with development, upper petals become            closer to 88C and with development, lower petals do not            change in color. Throat: Close to 3C and 155D. Tube: Upper            petals, close to 88B and lower petals, close to 155D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 137A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About            1 mm. Angle: Outward to slightly upright, less than 90° from            vertical. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            four. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to            155D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic.            Anther color: Close to 90A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering. Stigma            color: Close to 155D. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color:            Close to 155D. Ovary color: Close to 142B.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Color:            Close to 165D.        -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: About 30 to 50. Length: Less            than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color: Light brown.-   Disease & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Angelonia have    not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Angelonia plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Angelonia have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to 30° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Angelonia plant named ‘Anbic’ asillustrated and described.